Riddle Riddle Ree...I See Something You Don't See...

A Story

When looking for inspiration today to write, I pulled out old photo albums.  For those that were born only in the digital age, we old folks use to take pictures with a camera on film.   We did not get the opportunity to take a photo, look at the photo that instantly and determine if we should retake to get a better picture.  I can hear my mom still to this day saying "Johnnie, take one more just in case."  Just in case the picture was out of focus, just in case one of the kids wasn't smiling, or just in case someone had their eyes closed.  Just in case, because it was your only chance to capture that moment.  The only chance to be able to capture an image that years later you could go back and look at and remember.  But capturing the photo was only the beginning of the process.

Getting the 36 exposure 35mm film developed was always interesting journey.  The film would be placed in a drawer, the bottom of your purse or left in the suitcase to be found later.   Film was like little treasures because you quite often forgot what was on that roll of film.  Here in your hand was this film that held the memories of your life.  It was only protected by a plastic outer cover.  If the film was exposed to light, your images would be lost.  You memories still there in your mind, but maybe not as clear to recall if the photo existed.   

Walking into the store you would go to the film counter to fill out the yellow envelope with your name, address, phone number and the most important box...double prints.  Double prints is the way that you would share your photos with others.  If you got double prints you could then take the duplicate photo, place it in a envelope with a hand written letter that you would mail to your friend.  Mailing was when you  drove to the post office, wrote the address of your friend on the envelope, placed a stamp on the envelope and  mailed the envelope.  Your friend would then receive the photo two days or up to five days later.

But before you could mail the photo, you had to wait up to a week to get the film developed and the pictures back to finally see the images that were captured.  There was something about that waiting, the anticipation that gave you excitement.  You go back to the store's photo counter and ask the clerk, "Do you have photos for Hogan?".  The clerk would look through all the bins, come back and say "Not yet."  Then you would wait.  Waiting is the thing that us old folks would do that made one appreciate what you would finally receive.  Finally, the photos would show up at the store.  Again it was up to you to go to the store, ask the clerk and get the photos.    Then you would rush to the car with the newly developed prints and open the package.  Sitting in the car flipping through each photo you would smile, laugh and remember.  Each photo held the memories of the moment and the memories that you would get to experience again by viewing the photo.  You rush home and show the photo to your love ones saying "I didn't even remember us doing that!" or "What a great picture."

Then to preserve the memories you would label the back of the photo with a pen that would not leak through the photo paper.  The labeling was sort of like "tagging" the photo that is done now.  You would write the date on the back of the photo, who was in the picture, where the picture was taken and maybe even comment on the photo.  Then you carefully would find the photo album, a book that held the pictures, and place the photo in protective plastic sleeves of the album.  I remember my mom telling us if we would help her during this process, "Don't get your finger prints on the photo.  Hold the photo on the edges."

The photo album would be placed on the shelf in the family room.  The family room was the place the family gathered to enjoy each other's company.  Talk about your day, read a book, pray and watch the only television in the house with four channels together.  Then when your friends came over for a visit, you would take the album off the shelf and ask if they would like to look at your photos from your last trip.  You would share with your friends your memories, what you were doing in the photo.  And maybe the funny thing that happend after the photo that you remember.  The conversation would start and hours would past as you shared with your friend these moments.  This sharing of moments formed stories, stories that were shared among your family and friends for generations.

Although photo processing has changed with the digital age, it should not change the way we process the photo.  Labeling is now tagging, printing is now posting but sharing is still sharing.  Share your photos and give them a story.

Riddle Riddle Ree...What Do You See?